The Buddha praised Ratthapala Thera to be foremost(etadagga) for going forth out of faith. (saddhapabbajitana.m)....I so love this story...the bhikkhu with incredible faith !************** Ratthapala:Saddhapabbajitanam[From Buddhist Dictionary of the Pali..Presented by Dr.Han Tun @ SariputtaDhamma/JTN/Mult]

Chief of those who had left the world through faith (saddhapabbajitanam). Hewas born at Thullakotthita in the Kuru country as the son of a very wealthycouncillor and was called by his family name of Ratthapala. He lived in greatluxury, and, in due course, married a suitable wife. When the Buddha visitedThullakotthita, Ratthapala went to hear him preach and decided to leave theworld. His parents would not, however, give their consent till he threatened tostarve himself to death. Realizing then that he was in earnest, they agreed tolet him go on condition that he would visit them after his ordination.Ratthapala accompanied the Buddha to Savatthi, and there, dwelling alone, heattained arahantship within a short time.

Then, with the Buddha's permission, he returned to Thullakotthita and dwelt inthe deer park of the Kuru king. The day after his arrival, while begging foralms, he came to his father's house. His father was in the entrance hall havinghis hair combed, but, failing to recognize his son, he started to abuse him,taking him for an ordinary monk, one of those who had robbed him of his son.

Just at that moment the slave girl of the house was about to throw away somestale rice, which Ratthapala begged of her. The girl recognized his voice, gavehim the rice and told his parents who he was. When his father came to look forhis son, he found him eating stale rice as though it were ambrosia. (This eatingof stale rice made of him an aggariyavamsika.

Having already finished eating, when invited to enter the house, he would not do so,but on the next day he went again, and his father tried to tempt him by making adisplay of the immense wealth which would be his should he return to the lay life, while his former wives, beautifully clothed, asked him about the nymphs, for whose sake he led the homeless life. "For the sake of no nymphs, Sisters," he said, and they fell fainting under the shock of being addressed as "Sisters." Growing impatient atthe conduct of his family, he asked for his meal, ate it, preached to them onthe impermanence of all things, the futility of wealth, the snare of beauty,etc., and returned to Migacira.

Note : The reader may perhaps be interested to readMN 82 Ratthapala Sutta: About Ratthapalatranslated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhuhttp://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.082.than.html

***********Love Buddha's dhamma,yawares/sirikanya

Last edited by yawares on Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born into a well to do family, and when he grew up, he became a dice player. With him used to play a sharper, who kept on playing while he was winning, but when luck turned, broke up the game by putting one of the dice in his mouth and pretending it was lost, after which he would take himself off "Very good," said the Bodhisatta when he realized what was being done; "We'll look into this." So he took some dice, anointed them at home with poison, dried them carefully, and then carried them with him to the sharper, whom he challenged to a game. The other was willing, the dice board was got ready, and play began. No sooner did the sharper begin to lose than he popped one of the dice into his mouth. Observing him in the act, the Bodhisatta remarked, "Swallow away; you will not fail to find out what it really is in a little time." And he uttered this stanza of rebuke.

He bolts the die quite boldly knowing not

What burning poison thereon lurks unseen.

Aye, bolt it sharper! Soon you'll burn within.

But while the Bodhisatta was talking away, the poison began to work on the sharper; he grew faint, rolled his eyes, and bending double with pain fell to the ground. "Now," said the Bodhisatta, "I must save the rascal's life." So he mixed some simples and administered an emetic until vomiting ensued. Then he administered a draught of ghee with honey and sugar and other ingredients, and by this means made the fellow all right again. Then he exhorted him not to do such a thing again. After a life spent in charity and other good works, the Bodhisatta passed away to fare thereafter according to his desserts.